Yorkshire Jockeys Horse Racing

Beverley Logo Catterick Logo Doncaster Logo Pontefract Logo Redcar Logo Ripon Logo Thirsk Logo Wetherby Logo York Logo


Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes entry up by 12

BRILLIANT filly Enable is the stand-out entry among sixteen nominated for the Betfred Middleton Stakes, which will be run at York on Thursday, May 17.

Prince Khalid Abdullah’s four-year-old swept all before her last season, winning five successive Group 1s that included the Darley Yorkshire Oaks on the Knavesmire.

Enable’s trainer, John Gosden, has also entered Coronet, who finished second in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks. Two other trainers are also doubly represented at the initial stage with Sir Michael Stoute having nominated another in the Juddmonte colours in Mori alongside Smart Call. Henry Candy has entered Chain Of Daisies and Uele River in the £125,000 Group 2 contest.

Chain Of Daisies has seven wins from seventeen starts, including a 2016 Group 3 success in at Windsor where she headed Ulysses, the Juddmonte International victor. Now six, she has been a consistent and classy mare who perhaps slips under the radar.

Candy said: “Nobody takes much notice of her, luckily!”

All being well either Chain Of Daisies or Listed winner, Uele River, will run in the extended mile and a quarter race at York. Both are well suited by the trip, while favouring different types of ground.

Candy added: “Chain Of Daisies is entirely ground dependent. If the ground isn’t fast she definitely wouldn’t run. Uele River is quite happy with a bit of cut in the ground.

“Chain Of Daisies is just starting to think about it but I haven’t done very much with her because she hates this cold and wet weather.”

Candy also provided an update on stable star, Limato, who has been given an entry in the Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes. The six-furlong Group 2, scheduled for Wednesday 16 May has attracted forty-eight entries – a dozen more than last year.

Two-time Group 1 winner Limato has been included in the race by connections but the versatile six-year-old gelding may well contest the one-mile Lockinge Stakes at Newbury the following Saturday (May 19).

Candy said: “He seems to be in great form, so we are very much looking forward to the year.

“He has grown again and would weigh a lot more – he has enjoyed his winter off this year. Last year he was on his travels and it took him a while to get over it.

“The plan would be, ideally, to go over a mile this year. So the entry at York is in case ground at Newbury was soft and York’s ground was good.”

Other interesting entries in the Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes include two-time Group 1 hero Harry Angel and the last two winners of the race – Tasleet (2017) and Magical Memory (2016). Last season’s Al Basti Equiworld Gimcrack Stakes scorer, Sands of Mali, is one of twelve three-year-olds that have been entered.

The Dante Festival runs from Wednesday 16 May to Friday 18 May inclusive.